New Mercedes-Benz S 65 AMG Coupe V12 monster revealed

The grand daddy of them all, the new Mercedes-Benz S 65 AMG Coupe has finally been revealed. It showcases an epic twin-turbo V12 engine and all of the luxury appointments you’d expect from a modern S-Class

Mercedes revealed the slightly less intense S 63 AMG earlier this year. This is a step above. The heart of it is a 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 producing a whopping 463kW of power and 1000Nm of torque.

The engine comes equipped with a forged crankshaft for ultimate strength, multi-spark ignition with 12 twin-spark units, an air-to-water intercooler to keep intake temperatures down, and an alternator management program to optimise charging and performance.

Out on the tarmac, acceleration from 0-100km/h takes just 4.1 seconds. This is a super-impressive time for a large, luxury-focused coupe. It’s also 0.2 seconds quicker than the S 63 AMG Coupe.

The mighty engine is backed by a seven-speed 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission, feeding power to the rear wheels. Speaking of which, the wheels are 20-inch multi-spoke items wrapped in 255/40 tyres on the front and 285/35 tyres on the rear.

Behind these is an optional ceramic compound braking package which is 20 per cent lighter in weight compared with a conventional setup. Also helping to conserve weight, the S 65 AMG comes with a lithium-ion battery as standard. It saves 20kg.

Inside, the interior is as exquisite as it gets for Mercedes-Benz. It’s dressed in fine leather with heated, cooled and massage-equipped seats. Sitting in the dash is comprehensive media interface, while behind the steering wheel is a fully digital instrument cluster display.

Prices for the Australian market are yet to be announced. It will arrive during the middle of 2015.

Brett is the editor and founder of PerformanceDrive. He's obsessed with driving, having played with Matchbox cars until he was tall enough to drive a real one. After initially working as a mechanic, Brett earned a degree in journalism and entered media as an editorial assistant at Top Gear Australia magazine. He then worked at CarAdvice.com.au. His dream is to live next door to the Nurburgring in Germany.